What is it about?
Specialized hospitals generally provide the best care for children with cancer, but how far must families travel to reach them? We studied 10,709 Japanese children with cancer (2016-2019). About three-quarters (77%) of patients lived in urban areas, and most patients (83%) received treatment at hospitals specially designated for cancer. For certain cancers, treatment was highly centralized. For example, just five hospitals treated nearly two-thirds (63.5%) of all children with eye cancer (retinoblastoma). The average travel time was 37 minutes (34 minutes in urban areas and 60 minutes in rural areas). About one in five patients (21.7%) traveled more than an hour for treatment. Longer travel times were more common for patients living in rural areas, those with eye cancer (retinoblastoma) or bone tumors, and those visiting major childhood cancer centers.
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Why is it important?
This is the first nationwide study showing how Japan provides specialized childhood cancer care while minimizing the travel burden.
Perspectives
While most patients could reach their hospital within an hour, travel times were longer for those living in rural areas, those with specific cancers, and those visiting specialized hospitals. Overall, Japan has successfully balanced providing centralized cancer care while keeping travel times manageable for most families.
Anna Tsutsui
Toho Daigaku
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Travel burdens to access care among children with cancer between 2016 and 2019: Analysis of a national population-based cancer registry in Japan, PLoS ONE, April 2024, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300840.
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